Define a few grams? I've run at least 5-8 gram thru at the finer setting before grinding my 18g for the shot.

I took the vario apart and cleaned it...there was a lot of crap in there...i'll see if that helps.

I would have assumed 5-8 is plenty. If after your cleaning it has the same behavior, it would indicate that a larger purge is necessary. As I understand it, you purge 5-8 grams, grind first shot and thats bad, then the next shot is fine? If so, the purge necessary is between 5 and 26 grams. Just try and figure out where it actually is to minimize waste. I bet its closer to 5 than 26.

what you're saying is correct KMills...

I've just recently found this thread after experiencing similar problems when trying to switch back and forth between drip and espresso.

I am currently doing some controlled tests and corresponding with Kyle at Baratza.

I've definitely seen the same issue with moving from drip grind back to my espresso grind setting creating way too coarse of grind.

I even considered whether I had an espresso machine problem for a while, but then I noted that if I did 25 second shot, grind 2 scoops drip, then readjust and grind an espresso shot, the depth that my tamper goes in is significantly higher on the second shot (and the second shot will run more like 15 seconds). So, I'm pretty certain by that indication as well as shot time that the grind is definitely coarser despite readjusting to the exact same setting.

Thinking it was leftover grinds, I then ran 4 more shots through the grinder and continued to have gusher shots of ~15 seconds. The only way to get a proper shot after adjusting back from drip to espresso is to overshoot the fineness setting significantly and leave it there (as one person noted in this thread). So, it seems to be an adjustment issue rather than a trapped grinds issue.

I've also noticed a similar trend for the espresso adjustment to slowly return to the old fineness over time. Someone earlier in the thread noted this, and wondered if it was the adjustment mechanism "vibrating" back into its proper place.

I am of course adjusting with the grinder running, and I'm clearing out as much coffee as I can (see note above about 3rd and subsequent shots being gushers which eliminated leftover grinds as the problem).

I've also tried the technique of taking the micro and macro adjusters a few settings finer during adjustment, and then returning to the previous espresso setting, and that did not make any difference. It seems like once the grinder is set coarser, it has a hard time coming back to the fineness that the previous espresso setting would have achieved.

Kyle recently sent me a different Vario, but it doesn't appear to have the shims installed, so the grinder changes its settings on its own and hasn't been useful for an a/b test to see if it would also exhibit the same problems as my Vario (in fact it's a lot worse because I've been seeing the same phenomenon from espresso shot to espresso shot with NO adjustment to drip and back....).

My best guess is that the adjustment mechanism has some sort of flex/play/variance that a strictly threaded arrangement like a Mazzer wouldn't have.

So, where I'm at is that I can't think of any additional experiments to run, and none of the suggested workaround I've read seem to work.

Has anyone had any more up to date experiences or found a workaround that really works?

Like I said, I'm working closely with Kyle on this and I will test and pass along any information to him.

Thanks for any info!

I've found that if i go from espresso to drip and back, as long as i grind 5-10g of beans at my espresso grind after returning to it from drip, the next shot will be ok.

Jason: definitely is not my case. I'm like the other person in the thread where even if I run 100g through, the shots still pull fast. Like the other person, over time the adjustment will settle back in. No idea why.

Anybody: thoughts on the phenomenon that I'm seeing in my previous post and others (not all) seem to be seeing with the grind staying "open" until settling back a significant amout of time later?


And while folks are contemplating that , how about the Preciso?

Can anyone speak to whether the Preciso might be a better grinder for this purpose?

At least in reading the CG reviews I got the impression that even the Preciso (and Virtuoso) had issues getting back to a specific setting.

Any agreeement/disagreement with whether the Preciso would be better than the Vario?

The other possibility is whether the best solution would be a Vario kept for just espresso and a different grinder like a Virtuoso kept for just drip. Thoughts?

Alternatively, a Preciso kept for just espresso and a different grinder like a Virtuoso kept for just drip. Thoughts?

Thoughts on this anyone?

Use the calibrator tool. The Vario seems to start functioning properly after you've manually moved the burrs around with the tool. I've run into the problem of any grind, any dose is the same gush several times. Vario = inferior build quality, but everyone acts like that doesn't matter because Baratza will jump through hoops to help. Which is nice IF YOU HAVE an inferior product... but I'd rather a machine that works properly more often than my Vario does.

Calibrate and you'll see that it'll all 'pop' back into place.

Also going forward, try not to EVER knock the portafilter while in the Vario's holder as this loosens that adjustment nut.

Vario's been around for like 2-3 years and is up on B/S/T and auctions just as frequently as ancient old SJs...

I have this exact same problem. My solution was to recalibrate, but it seemed to require going a bit further than the "0" indicated by Baratza... My solution now is to simply use it for espresso. If you start to think of it as an espresso-only grinder, you'll be much happier. Look into the LIDO for other purposes (that's what I'm leaning towards!)

As far as the Preciso I like it, and for the most part pretty easy to go back and forth. However there is always a little play with the micro when going back/forth from espresso to drip and can sometimes be hard to see where the macro is. So its very easy to be a notch up or below your previous setting. I am looking into a new grinder myself to have either for dedicated drip or espresso, just have not decided which way I want to go.

In other words you should probably get another grinder so as to avoid this problem.